NIMHANS BRAIN MUSEUM

A one-of-a-kind museum in India, NIMHANS Brain Museum in Bangalore, Karnataka, is a fascinating and amazing place to visit. Having more than 400 brain specimens, the museum conducts guided tours to engage the visitors and to inform them about the functioning of the brain and show them brains of different species and the ones affected by injury or mental illness.

About the Museum

Located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Science) Brain Museum is a one-of-a-kind informative yet fascinating place to be, for people of all age groups. This museum will open your eyes and offer you an opportunity to witness the functioning of the human brain. The Neuropathology department of NIMHANS has been gathering brain specimens for the last 35 years to teach and train their students and over 400 brains are kept here on display for visitors to see. Under the administration of Professor S.K. Shankar and Dr. Vani, the department of neuropathology want to spread information about neuroscience, eliminate the stigma that is attached to psychiatric illness, and encourage people to donate organs through this educational tour.

The museum opens only on Wednesdays and Saturdays and has directed tours. The tour starts off with a classroom adjoining the museum where an introductory session is conducted where you will learn about the human brain with the help of an actual specimen. You can even feel and touch the specimen on request. Don’t worry about the brain specimen being squishy as they have been preserved for a long duration and get hardened through time.

Next, on the tour, you will find transparent jars on the showcase holding brains of all sizes and of different species. While looking at the brains of animals and birds might be interesting, what is even more fascinating here is the segment of the brains that have been affected by an accident or injury or any other psychological disorder. The whole tour generally takes about 2-3 hours and is limited to 35-40 people at a time. While learning about brains and neuroscience might not be of interest to everyone, this museum is recommended if you want something different and unique to experience and be informative as well.